Wonderful & Rare Antique Botanical Portfolio Book Titled "La Grande Flora De Colorado Montana Y Llanos"

About this book:

Denver: Frank S. Thayer, [ 1901]. Text printed in brown, one leaf with title with integral introduction on recto, and on verso a list of contents and note of limitation. Twelve chromolithographs by Percy W. Franklin after Oscar Achleitner, each within an original oval mount with a blindstamped border, and an accompanying tissue guard printed with the botanical and/or common name of the flower, a note of when it is in flower, three or four lines of appropriate poetry, and a short descriptive text. Large folio.

Publisher's khaki-green morocco-grained cloth portfolio with wallet-style flap, cover stamped in gilt, red moiré restraining bands. Extremities worn, large separation starting at portfolio folds (please refer to photos as part of the description). Some light wear and tear throughout. Please message me if you want to see individual pages to asses condition. Colors bright and sharp. Overall, very good.


Rare, "Edition de Luxe," limited to 1000 copies, this being number 256. A high quality series of very fine images, beautifully presented. It is very likely that far fewer than 1000 copies of this beautiful collection of twelve chromolithographic studies of the flowers of the mountains and plains of Colorado were ever produced. The subjects are: the Wild Rose; Rocky Mountain Aster; Fairy's Torch; Tiger Lily; Gaillardia; Pentstemon; Gilia; Sand Lily; Rocky-Mountain Thimble Berry; Rocky Mountain Columbine; Fringed Gentian; and Evening Primrose. Thayer explains in the introduction that the work was begun in May 1900 by Oscar Achleitner of Denver who "commenced the task of painting the most popular of varied species from mountain and plain...[and] transcribed in water colors the studies comprising this collection." The paintings were then transferred to lithographic stones by Percy W. Franklin of Montclair, Colorado. The text accompanying each plate is by Mrs. Sarah Bennett Walker of Sedalia, Colorado. Thayer concludes by promising a "second series" in 1902, but this never appeared. A scarce and beautiful work.

Condition Fair- all parts complete. However, there is some slight water damage to edges. Measures: 20" x 16"

15%

Jessica Benjestorf | (970) 821-5035 | fairlightestatesales@gmail.com

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Loveland, CO 80538

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Sunday, 1/3, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

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